Gate latch



. 1954 B. YOUNGWORTH GATE LATCH Filed Oct. 17, 1950 FIG. I

INVENTOR. /2 BE RNA RD YOUNGWORTH ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE GATE LATGH flier-ham 'xcunz hlbaliimnrchm- .Applicationflctober l'i, 1950, 'SerialNo. 190,463

I :2 (creams) Thi inv nt n relate n loc and latches am more par ular to those u a l .i. 1wgate iattether t t nses- ;It i lqbies o this in entio is Prov de a new nd im rpred satei tch ha will ei l n o e of e isedvaetes nd him glan of P2 91 11 other object of the invention is to NOS/ride a sa sto and etsh hat wi normal-iv b ha d to o en hr anyone npt acquai t d wit the man- .in which it tunetiqns at easy for tho e 119 KQQW 339 A further object of the invention is .to provide a sate 1 01 tha 9 4. "be iil lfp in a ventional gate structure and designed for padlocking by an additional lock, and operable from either side of the gate.

An additional object of the invention is to proyide a new and improved latching arrangement .on a gate structure that will hold the gate closed normally but by a sl ght unu l m nip 11 on of the gate the arrangement will permit its o eni is- .Qther objects of the invention will become .apparent as the invention is more fully set forth. For a clearer understanding of the invention and he bje ts thereof eierence i adetc accompany ng drawings, which conju cti n w th the ol in descrip outline a part cu a form of the invention by way of exampla while the claims indicate the scope of the invention.

In the drawings: I Figure 1 is a plan view of a gate latch embodying this invention, with a part of a gate and alternate position of the latch shown in dotted outline to indicate the manner in which the latch can be used;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, in latched position; Y

Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a view on line 44 of Figure 1, showing the latch structure partly unlatched.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the construction shown in the drawings, a latch for a conventional wire gate, consists of a lower clamp member ID. This member is of circular form hollowed out to provide an inside diameter large enough to surround a conventional end gate post and to be tightened thereon. This is the post towards which a gate closes. The member ID consists of two symmetrical halves or sections I I formed with extending bolt lugs I2 that are drawn together in pairs for bolting by the bolts I3. The bolts pass through 5.191% 4 lm the e Jugs that may be squa-red for 3121. 11115.9 10f arria e bolts therein, if preferred. The under rim .15 :of the :clamp member vI-OJ-is fiat and holizontal. The terms horizontal and vertica reierto-zthe';positions of the items mentioned when l cated on a gate t u ur e pp rim I6 is stepped :or notched with the highest steps being on a level with it and marked I! and located adjacent nd above h l I-2- T next steps I;8;f o,1;low andllead to the third and bottom-steps Thelowest steps are contoured to provide notches 20. Their arrangement is clearly indicated in the drawings.- This stepped arrangement is used .for the purpose of coupling and nncou;plm the upper member at to and from the lower clamp member I 0. An outwardly extending 1l1,orizontal wing :ZI is located .on each section II outside the lateral wall forming one of the steps I8. This wing, in each case is provided with a passage 22 through it for insertion of the has of a padlocl; 23. The wings 2I are aligned with each other and serve as padlock holders. The Wings, steps and lugs are symmetrically arranged as indicated, in the same planes. The lower clamp section is rigidly clamped to the post 2-5 and is normally immovable. H

The upper clamp member 30 of the latch is similar in some respects to the lower members. It is in two halves or sections 3| that clamp together to slidably encompass the post 25. The sections are held clamped by the bolts 33 through the outwardly extending lateral bolt lugs 32, on opposite sides. Their upper rims 36 are flat and horizontal, While their underside rims 35 are arranged with steps or notches in reverse, and marked 31, 38 and 39 respectively to coact with the steps I1, I8 and I9 of the lower member ID. When they are .properly positioned these parts fit neatly in one another as indicated in Figure 2. The upper member 30 while clamped on the ost 25 is not held so tightly as to prevent a rotary and up and down movement thereon about the axes of both. The sections 3| are provided with a yoke of U-like form made from extensions 40 to one set of the bolt lugs and adapted to engage or latch about the frame post 26 of the gate to be latched by it. The sections of the upper member 30 are also provided with outwardly extending horizontal lifting projections 4| located oppositely and at right angles to the lugs 32 to enable the upper member 30 to be raised out of engagement with the lower clamp ID. The looseness of the upper clamp member permits it to be rotated through an angle of about closed firmly. The latch is unlatched by lifting.

the upper member 30 by its lifters above the lower member I 0 so the steps of each will be detached from each other. Then theupper member 30 is revolved about 30 so these steps will be superimposed on each other. At the same time the gate frame is given an opening movement in the same direction. When the frame post 28 and the yoke d0 reach that position together they unlatch themselves so the gate may be swung fully open,away fromthe yoke, as indicated in dotted outline in Figure 1. Closing of the gate and latching it is accomplished by reversing the movement. When the latch is closed, a padlock may be attached bypassing the hasp thereof through the openings provided in the vertically aligned wings 2| and 4|.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form, as it is appreciated that other forms of constructions could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention,'what is claimed is:

1. A gate latch adapted to be carried by a fence post, comprising a lower clamp comprising two halves securely held together and to the fence post, an upper clamp comprising two halvesfise curely held together and loosely carried by the fence post above said lower clamp, said clamps having cooperative stepped interlocking portions whereby the upper clamp is normally immobilized by the lower clamp, a yoke carried by the upper clamp and encompassing a. portion of-the gate, whereby the gate is held closed when the 4 upper clamp is immobilized, lifting projections carried by the upper clamp adapted to be grasped as handles to lift the upper clamp away from the lower clamp to disconnect the interlocking portions to permit rotation of the yoke and upper clamp when the gate is pushed open, projections carried by the lower clamp, co-extensive with and parallel to theprojections on the upper clamp,

and locking means carried by one extension on each of said clamps for securing the gate in closed position.

2. A gate latch adapted to be carried by a fence post, comprising a lower clamp formed of two halves securely held together and to the fence post, an upper clamp formed of two halves securely held together and loosely carried by the fence post above the lower clamp, said clamps having cooperative stepped interlocking portions whereby the upper clamp is normally immobilized by the lower clamp, a yoke carried by the upper clamp and encompassing a portion of the gate, whereby the gate is held closed when the upper clamp is immobilized, lifting projections carried by the upper clamp adapted to be grasped as handles to lift the upper clamp away from the lower clamp to disconnect the interlocking portions and permit rotation of the yoke and upper clamp when the gate is pushed open, lateral projections on the lower clamp co-extensive with the projections on the upper clamp, and locking means jointly carried by one projection on each of the said clamps for securing the gate in closed position.

BERNARD YOUNGWORTH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Thomas Dec. 11, 1951 

